Those Hidden Secrets
by peaceofmind98
Summary: Third Impact came and left. And behind every happy ending is a convoluted conspiracy based on one simple idea: some secrets are best kept secret. Secrets; why do we even keep them if they'll only mess up our lives even more than they already are. Because we believe they can do the exact opposite.
1. News, Flowers and Graves

A/N: I did an overhaul of the chapters; this time around it would be 2.5-3K words per chapter. So this in fact, a combination of chapters 1-3. I also edited some parts of former Ch. 1-3

Chapter 1: News, Flowers and Explosions.

She could see through the wedding veils; how those blue eyes so similar, yet so different from hers, yearned for someone else.

To the rousing applause of an enthusiastic and supportive audience, he leaves the stage. Still, he did feel a bit guilty. A white lie. In front of billions. Was he going to turn into his father, or those scheming madmen of SEELE?

Shame was what she felt.

A scary thought; but that wasn't the case. One couldn't just eliminate the whole of man's greatest technological project since the Manhattan Project. Just imagine the good that could be brought about by the advances in technologies applied in the MAGI systems, and of course, the Evas. Well, that was the reason for the uproar among the intelligentsia when he had first announced this measure. Most, if not all, were very displeased. To be fair, they did have a point; good or bad, whatever came out of Project E was definitely significant.

She stared at the empty cans of beer. One messed up life traded for another.

Though, he could understand why they had to lie; hard and pressing issues are easier to deal with in secret, rather than in public. The public would misunderstand too easily, and besides, this speech was more meant for them. By them, he meant all those warlords and corrupt autocrats who've eked out a place in the post-Third Impact world, in the midst of all the chaos. All of them, itching to rebuild those massive warhorses of destruction, Evangelions. Better to let them think that he and the United Nations threw all that information away. Let the cooler heads among the citizenry rant about all the valuable information lost; most of the masses simply wanted nothing to do with those walking bipedal things or, rather, persons, that lent a hand to them turning into a liquid reminiscent of tang.

Happiness. False happiness; like a long gone façade of arrogance and pride.

His phone rang. He pulled it out from his pocket. It was Misato. Maybe she'll complain to him again about her paperwork, as usual. Then again, it was always good to hear from a friend.

Can't she be looked at the same way,_ she_ was. No, she was just that. A replacement.

"Shinji…there's something you should know…"

Steps were heard from the stairs.

Secrets.

Hide them away, those cans; the shame. Hide it all. Throw them all away.

You'll never know, when they'll bite you back.

A bouquet of white roses. A mother and a daughter. The television, turned on.

"_Just a few minutes have passed since the United Nations, in light with the controversial recommendation given by the United Nations Special Affairs Commission (UNSAC) has decided to pass Special Resolution 007…"_

"Mother, what are those flowers for?" asked a small twelve year old girl as she played with her short brown hair. Her blue eyes twinkled with simple curiosity and amazement, as she turned her eyes to the thirty-something year old woman clad in a red blouse, long black skirt and a plain white lab coat.

"…_The resolution calls for the restriction of information and technologies related to the infamous Project E, which helped in the development and execution of the Human Complementation Project, also known as the Instrumentality Incident…"_

"They're for a…friend…a…friend of your father's." replied the middle-aged woman, who put both of her palms on her face, visibly frustrated. These roses…they reminded her of memories she didn't want to even remember. Why she even bothered to go that grave? Because Shinji couldn't, that's why. That's what she told herself.

Lie.

"_UNSAC Director and former Evangelion pilot Shinji Ikari made the announcement in front of the Tokyo -3 Peace Pyramid at around ten in the morning, Tokyo-3 time. Highlights of his speech were…"_

"Then what was her name, mom..."

The little girl tugged at the ends of her white lab coat. She looked at the woman with a pure sense of innocence, one hard to turn away from. Turning her attention to her daughter, the woman sighed. Obviously, she looked worried. Perhaps, her daughter was worried with her. Was she really that easy to read?

"…_an effort to address the concerns of the unsettling similarity between the UNSAC and NERV, accountability issues within the UNSAC, in relation to the general structure of the United Nations…" _

"If…you don't want…to answer…that's okay…I'm sorry"

She couldn't help but smile at how considerate her daughter was, as she caressed the soft hair of the little girl sitting right next to her. Sometimes, the little girl really took after her father, which was, to be honest, quite cute.

"…_issues concerning the handling of permitted civilian technologies derived from Project E…"_

Though, if her daughter became a little too soft, then she'd have to teach her to fend for herself. She wouldn't want her to be going around, apologizing for everything like his father did when he was…she was getting ahead of herself, wasn't she?

"…_and the criticized recommendation of the UNSAC on the fate of the non-permitted or banned technologies derived from Project E, which called for the complete destruction of information related to these matters…"_

That little angel of a girl was her daughter, the daughter of Asuka Sohryu-Langley-Ikari. And that daughter is going to be just as strong-willed, stubborn and hard headed as her mother and (sometimes) her father was. Still…

The woman glances towards the glass table. She stares intently at the bouquet lying on it. And then, she looks at the petite figure of her precious daughter, fully at ease. She couldn't help but feel a bit envious at how fortunate her child was, not having to live during a time of war or…utter chaos. She shuddered slightly as she recalled the unfortunate memories of the aftermath of Third Impact; it was no joke to say that the way of living shortly after Third Impact was very similar to living during the subsequent horror and utter disarray that followed Second Impact. No amount of personal enlightenment given during Third Impact could prevent some people from losing their minds and sanity once more in the brief ensuing anarchy. She remembered quite vividly, how she screamed when she saw that thing…that disembodied head…

"…_This is Ben Shita, reporting live, in front of the Tokyo-3 Peace Pyramid, UN-PBN…"_

"Dear, I'll be going somewhere in a while. Would like to come with me? Or, do you want me to leave you with Aunt Hikari while I'm gone?"

The little girl closed her eyes in thought and then made up her mind after a few short minutes.

"Okay, I'll just go with you, mom!" answered the grinning daughter.

Soon afterwards, the pair exited their apartment and went down to their small car parked in the parking complex adjoined to their building. The woman, after exiting the parking complex, then made her way towards the gridlock and traffic that was a part of her routine life in Tokyo-3. But, she did notice something quite odd; from the looks of it, the traffic situation was actually worse than it usually was. Was there a serious accident, somewhere in Tokyo-3, causing all this commotion?

She tuned in to the news on the local traffic situation from the on board computer of the car. Hmm…nothing out of the ordinary, though. Just a few public works projects near one of the main outbound rail systems of Tokyo-3 causing all the trouble. Those darn bureaucrats just had to declare the entire surrounding area restricted! Didn't the MAGI handle everything these days!

"A statement from the Tokyo-3 Metropolitan Authority has stated that gas leakages were one of the main causes for the explosions at near the RD MRT station, one of the main stations which handle outbound rail traffic from the surrounding regional centres, such as Tokyo-2"

Explosion?

Just what the hell was happening these days?

It took her two hours to get to the Instrumentality Memorial Park, which was once known as the Second Impact Remembrance Park, where they made simple grave marks for some of those who died during the Second Impact, and recently, those who died during the war with the Angels and those who didn't return, from the hell that was Instrumentality during the Third Impact; they numbered in the tens of millions.

Including that person.

A few steps, she took, followed by her daughter. Perhaps, she shouldn't have brought her along, but then again, that idiot, Shinji, already went here, since he was busy with work. I mean, while she takes after her father…that expression of hers…just…

There. She finally made it. Laying down the bouquet of flowers in front of the simple grave mark, Asuka took a long, deep breath.

She needed it.

Asuka felt a tug on her lab coat. It was her daughter, Nagi.

"The name of…dad's friend…was it…Rei…-"

"Ayanami. Pilot Rei Ayanami. Pilot of Evangelion Unit 00. Your…aunt…"

It didn't matter if she said a piece of "classified information" to her daughter. No one was listening, as far as she knew. And even if they did, would they actually give a damn? Would they give a damn about a little girl knowing about a pilot who technically doesn't exist? Would they? A fitting end to the doll; forgotten and thrown in the waste bin of history. Asuka, she sarcastically mumbled to herself, are you getting too bitter these days?

Deserved it.

"But…dad…is an only…child…right?"

Then again, was she ready for the truth? Or would she just place a burden on her carefree and happy daughter. Well, when she thought long and hard about it, it was much better to be safe than sorry. She shouldn't just take out her frustrations on her daughter; that was just plain stupid to begin with.

"Yes. She was just…a close friend…"

A small lie. Adequate, for now. How do you hoist the truth upon her shoulders and when, exactly?

Asuka felt another tug.

"But…they didn't tell us the name of the pilot of Evangelion 00 in school…did they…"

Not really a full lie.

Asuka looked up, towards the clear blue sky. Much like that stupid blue hair of hers. She raised her right hand towards the sky. She stared intently at her ring. Sapphire; it given by a blundering idiot, who probably didn't even know what her favourite colour was, looking for some random ring to give.

It certainly wasn't any shade of blue.

She spat on the ground; spit hitting the grave. Nagi blinked her eyes in surprise.

Silently, she said to herself.

"Still, damn that doll…"

Explosions.

Fiery flames and deafening trumpets.

They reek of destruction. They reek of death. I do not like death. I hate it, I hate it so much. Yet I have seen death, since I was I. Since I was here. Why was that, really? Why does death have to always follow me? Why is it that my path is filled with destruction?

"Come on, we have to move, before they catch up to us!"

Oh right, we were being chased by crazy, violent madmen. Yep, another place we just ruined for everyone else. Great job, Lily. What mess have we made this time around?

Anyway, that voice belongs to my companion. He grabs my arm, and I run with him. We need to escape from them. Our pursuers, they're persistent. Heck, they've been literally chasing us halfway across the world. Though, I feel a strange feeling when he touches me. It is odd. It is…familiar to my senses. A warm sensation that rushes throughout my body, and my heart thumping; I feel that I should have remembered it from some time in my life, before I was I; when I was someone else.

Explosions. One after another, once more occur, in a cacophony of chaos. I am unsettled by them. I hate them with every fibre in my being. They are the worst signs of violence, and violence in one thing I cannot possibly ever tolerate. Ever.

"Hey, pay attention Lilly, or you're going to get us killed!"

His hold on my arm tightens. I then realize that this is not the right time for me to think about these things; right now, I have to do what I can to survive. And that means I have to stay focused and sharp; no time to think about these things now. I have all the time to think about it later; if I'm still alive, that is.

"_Yes, you are right…my source…be alert. It is of no use to not be as such."_

That voice again. It clouds my mind, whenever I hear her. Another being within oneself. Though, the voice is not usually inclined to conversation. It is quite amusing, that it actually tries to talk to me at times like these, when I'm running for my life.

"_You find irony within my actions and your situation. I prefer you keep your mind focused on the latter, for our continued survival."_

Yes, yes, I know that. But why do you speak now? When you could have done so, earlier? Back when were not, I don't know, getting ourselves out being killed. Besides, it's not every day that you have a talking voice in your head. Then again, you don't really say much...for a voice inside my head…hell, I don't even know your name!

"…"

Hmm…you're back to your usual self again, eh? To be honest, I think it's much better if we talked. I mean, you are a voice within my mind, so why can't we just get along? After all, we are in the same body and technically, it's like, ours. Or more like mine, really.

"You are annoying. It is you who is in my body."

Okay, fine. Maybe, I am the trespasser here. Sorry, it's totally not my fault I'm in your body; but, didn't you tell me yourself that you weren't supposed to live anyway? You were killed in what was it again? Third Impact, right?

"_You were not supposed to live…L-"_

Our little mental argument was interrupted by a very bad sound. As in, very, very bad. I could hear the clattering of metal against metal, or the way those horrid things pierce through the smoke and air. It is something that I have learned to fear. Gunshots.

Guns. Bullets. They're here.

A bullet nearly whizzed across my head. My heart beats, in fear. I could feel it. But the scary part was what you felt within; that sick feeling that overcomes you when these things happen. And I could feel it when death was just around the corner, ready to claim anyone around me. What I felt rather, was a fear of anyone, good or bad, dying, not myself. It was a frightening experience.

I hated it. I hated every second of it.

"Are you alright, Lily! Did you get hit or something?" said my companion. He looked worried, and his red hair was all ruffled and messy. I manage to briefly nod, to signal that I was okay. His face softened afterwards, in relief. We continued our search for an escape, keeping our mouths shut as we grew to escape their grasps; we didn't want to give away our location.

"Thank goodness! Anyway, all we have to do now is to go down those stairs and head towards one of those old abandoned pathways which lead up to the abandoned shelter areas…"

Amid all of the bullets and fiery debris, we managed to reach the stairs, and go down, towards the shelters. Luckily, both of us were unharmed; although, I could have sworn that one bullet was headed for his chest, when it suddenly bounced off. Odd. Almost like a force-

"_It is an A.T field, or have you forgotten everything, my source…"_

Yeah, we all know you're a know-it-all.

"I was merely saying a statement of fact"

Well, it turned out that he was right. We've managed to evade our pursuers once again; as it turns out, no one was looking for us here, in this odd pathway. This pathway seemed old and disused, and anyone could tell that it had not been maintained for years. You could see the oozing green slime covering the walls, and the remains of dead insects such as cockroaches littering the floor.

I guess I can talk to that voice again.

So, why'd you decide to talk to me anyway, oh mysterious voice-within-my-head?

"_I decided to talk because…"_

Ah, you seem to be shy lately…do you feel…

"_No, I do not feel attracted to your companion, even if I am of the same opinion that he is physically attractive…although…"_

Although what? Come on, spill it out already! At this rate, I'm not sure I'll live that long, with all these people trying to kill us! I mean, we've been bombed by planes, we've been hunted down by trained assassins, we've been through countless explosions and we've nearly been run over by some car in a highway!

"_I…felt a sense of attraction to…loved…someone…"_

Ah…so beneath that cold and calculating exterior is a heart of gold, eh? So, what's his name? Maybe we can hunt him down, so you can talk to-

"No."

After that single comment, that voice never did try to talk to me again. I must've touched on something deep. Still, after a long walk, we were there. We saw a big hatch, which, according to Frank, leads directly to somewhere near the centre of Tokyo-3 itself. He went and turned the rusting locking mechanism clockwise, opening the hatch. He takes my hand and we walk out, right into the main avenue, to see a bustling city, filled with tall building that could almost reach the sky, and throngs of people walking along the sidewalks.

Amid all of them, was a Black Pyramid. I felt almost connected to it, somehow. I just stand there, staring at it, almost as if in a trance until Frank decides to snap me out it.

"Is there a problem, Lily?"

"It's just…"

"Just what…"

"I feel like I'm…home…"

He was smiling, as if he was amused. I was embarrassed, to be honest. Usually, I did that, not him. He was always serious, and I liked it that way, thank you very much. When it's the other way around; it's not all good anymore. I really, really wished, someone would just wipe that stupid smile off his face.

"So, Frank, what are you doing with such a pretty girl without telling your dear aunt…?"

Damn.


	2. Reunions

A/N: This the new second chapter which is essentially the old chapters 1-3 combined.

Chapter 2: Reunions

"You know, you didn't tell me that I'd have to deal with explosions and terrorist attacks when you convinced me to take this job."

She was, to put it simply, pissed off. Pissed off that there were just so many things she didn't know. Like, for instance, how her boss…who she helped raised…hid a conspiracy from her and everyone else in the world, or how her own husband apparently knew everything, without even giving her a single damn hint.

Then again, knowing him, he'd probably at least know something.

"Well…did Kaji give you the documents yet?"

The voice on the other side was quivering, almost timid for his high position and stature. He was her boss, but still…she was almost like a mother to him…and well, she was scolding him right now. That was very embarrassing, when he thought about it.

"Yeah, he did. So, you're working on an evil conspiracy, like your old man?"

On the other line, a man stood, knees shaking as anxiety grasped him. Another reminder. Another sign of how much he'd changed. Did he really change for the better, these past years? Or, did he change into something utterly despicable. Was he really turning into his own father?

"No."

"Sorry…I know about how you…"

"That is fine. Let's get to business. Misato."

The voice, this time around, was cold and imposing. She knew she really had said something she shouldn't have; even now, he still has issues with his father after all these years. They can't even see each other eye to eye when they do talk in prison once month.

Still, whatever they were in, it was deadly serious. It had to be, since those terrorist attacks were all too sophisticated for a few random cults; she thought that all of them just had to be orchestrated. And it worried her to no end that Frank was right in the middle of it. She hoped that if they ever did find him, they'd find him alive, in one piece. That kid was a good kid.

"Well, someone bombed a train headed for one of theTokyo-3 interchange stations. We've been covering it up as a gas leak to the public, though. A few people died, in the ensuing explosion…"

"Yes, I already know that. What do you think might be their motive, Misato?"

"According to this report, multiple groups were…competing…against each other…to look for this person…right? I think we just witnessed a clash between those groups…and judging from that, I guess the person they're looking for isn't far behind, right?"

"I see. You have the description of that person on the report that Kaji gave you. Give me your complete report later."

Cell phone back in pocket, Misato took a deep breath and sighed. This was sure to be long, tiring day. Eyes on the burnt out station, she wondered if the report Shinji sent her was serious. It was impossible, but, here she was alive. And it was her mission to look for her.

And Frank…well…she would love to see Asuka's reaction…seeing her son…

"Ma'am, we've found a lead."

"Huh?"

When Misato turned, she saw a large intimidating man in a neat, crisp black suit, with a pistol in his holster. Distinguished by his bald head and prominent goatee, he stood there silently, as if ready to anticipate orders. He must be that man…ex-Section Two…Hogo-san, was it? Ah, yes, the Chief Police Commander for Tokyo-3…

"Secretary Katsuragi, we've been informed by UNSAC Director Ikari to report to you as our superior…in spite of your current civilian role-"

Superior? Guess there are benefits to this job after all; I should relish this opportunity right…now.

"You address me properly as your superior, Hogo-san. I have been appointed by the authority of UNSAC Director Ikari to oversee this operation, and I do not like subordinates to question my authority. Do I make myself clear, Commander Hogo?"

The man in the suit stiffens, as his superior glares at him disapprovingly.

"I see. Even though you are under the authority of the Toky-3 Metropolitan Authority, I do believe that you have been informed of the fact that the UN has taken over this operation. Report to me the findings of your investigation so far-and please be informed as well that all information pertaining to this operation is strictly confidential."

"Ma'am, our personnel have found evidence that certain people used an abandoned route to the shelter areas. We've also found confessions from the detained suspects confirming that their mission was to kidnap a certain person, female, who we believe escaped, along with a male companion."

Misato nodded in approval. That must be good news, so far. That means they're still alive, at least.

"Tell me, did the suspects give a detailed description of those two?"

"They described them as, a white-haired, pale-skinned teenage girl and a tall blue-eyed boy, probably of the same age, with red hair."

"I see. Send out your men to look for them around the city. You are now dismissed."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll do so immediately-"

"And oh, ask your _friends _to help"

The man simply smirked, as he left Misato's sight. He knew that Misato meant his associates from his days in Section Two. All she had to do right now was to wait for something to come up; for now, she would have to walk back to her office and well, work off her paperwork. She had tons of it now, especially with all the ruckus of those terrorist attacks. Damn terrorists.

She walked towards her car, a frightened and anxious clean shaven man at the steering wheel. The grip of his hands on the steering wheel was wavering, as she drew near.

"Hey, want to make up for lying to me about your job…"

The man nodded quickly. The woman grinned. It was a scary grin, though.

"Then take me near the Pyramid. I'm too tired to drive anyway."

The man's worried face eased for a bit, slightly relieved. Though, the woman looked at him and the car intently, as if searching for a fault of some sort.

"Unless…you want me to drive-"

And his face nearly became white with fear, as the woman tried to pull him out of the driving seat. He held on to the handle and the steering wheel as if they made the ultimate difference.

The difference between his life and death, that is.

The car whirled around the city, breaking all sorts of countless laws. Though, the two people in the car didn't mind it all. The driver was too focused with driving as if it was the end of the world, which did happen two times in less than two decades, while the lone passenger was all too frightened to death to even contemplate the repercussions of her driving to other people. He could only watch silently, unable to speak, the tongue frozen in fear. Still, even if he said anything to her, she wouldn't listen anyway.

They did reach the Pyramid after all, intact, that is. But, the sanity of certain people…well that was mostly left up to chance. She walked away from the parking complexes and towards her office, with her sickened companion in tow, dragging his feet as he stopped himself from spontaneously vomiting. It didn't take them long to get to her office though, as it was relatively near to the parking complex where they parked her blue car.

Opening the door to her office, she plopped herself on her comfortable black leather chair, simultaneously organizing the piles of messy paperwork that were on her wide wooden desk. Her companion crashed himself on one of the other two black leather chairs in front of the desk, before getting a paper waste bin nearby to vomit into. At the sight of _that_, Misato broke into laughter; her companion's cheeks reddening, which was rare sight. A rare sight she could now enjoy. And laugh at.

After going through at least a fourth of the paperwork, she took time to take a short break. As she drank her cup of coffee, she read through that report, all while occasionaly giving a certain person a sharp glare. It was short and concise; obviously they didn't have much information on _things_ like that. Either that or this was a heavily redacted version. But still, the conclusion was still clear…and when you put it together with those reports she received, it all made sense. Scary sense, that is.

[REDACTED] AND [REDACTED] SURVIVAL HYPOTHESIS/CLASS [REDACTED]: DESIGNATION ALPHA-BLUE/BETA-BLUE

Alpha-Blue…those same words she heard father say…as for Beta-Blue…order…angels…

The phone in her pocket vibrated. She got it out of her pocket and opened it. It was the Police Commander, calling. She answered the call. Her companion looked wistfully behind her, at the windows. He had that grin of his again.

"Ma'am, we've found them. They're at –"

"South of the Peace Pyramid, CCCA-2 if I am correct?"

"Who…" the voice on the cell phone stuttered.

"Report. Now." Misato said harshly.

"Yes. That was correct. South of Peace Pyramid, alongside the Circumferential City Centre Avenue-Two ma'am. One of our agents spotted a pair sporting the description given in the confessions. What should we do–"

"You will stay where you are. I will confront the persons in question. Do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am" said the voice, as the call ended.

Misato stood up, and went towards the door, followed by her companion. She had a twisted expression of displeasure on her face, and the man simply continued grinning, apparently oblivious to the seething anger of the woman beside him.

"Why…How did you know before me? I'm ranked higher than you! I'm the _'freaking United Nations Inter-State Defence and Security Regulatory Department Undersecretary_!"

"Well…Mrs. Bureaucrat with an over-the-top title…" Kaji chuckled as Misato looked at her incredulously. "…I know certain people, if you want to know my secret, my dear Misato…" He then gave his signature smile as he turned towards Misato, who was left even more irate at the man.

"Save it for one of your many admirers, Kaji. I'm driving. Period."

"Um...sorr –"

"Get in the car. Now."

The pair drove off, out of the parking complex, right next to an inconspicuous white van, one out of many vehicles that were part of the Tokyo-3 Police Department; left over hand-me-downs equipment from Section Two. It was quite clear, to professionals in certain fields that this was no ordinary van; rather it was outfitted for purposes of surveillance against unknowing suspicious civilians.

As Misato and Kaji walked towards the white van; the former caught a glance of a pair standing in the middle of the crowds of people; a man clad in a torn up and worn out lab coat, and a woman with distinctive white hair. She rushed towards them; Kaji followed her soon afterwards. They met them.

And now, was now.

"We've been hearing many things about the situation you're in, Frank."

Misato eyed the teenage girl beside Frank uneasily. She wasn't her, but she just looked so much like her. It was just…creepy, considering that she's supposed to be dead, but…

"Are you another of those bad guys who'll try to kill us, old lady?"

…this really wasn't her. The girl was just so…lively and happy; definitely not the emotional eunuch she was supposed to be. She was sure that the girl wasn't really her; she wouldn't talk like that to her. Or, call her an old lady. No one gets away with that. No one.

"Did you just call me, an old lady? Do I look like an old lady to you?"

"Yeah. So? It's just a matter of fact. I have a feeling you're in your fifties by the way.

"Hasn't anyone told you to respect your elders!"

"You're an elder? Okay, I guess I can respect you now, since you said it yourself; you're old"

Frank watched the conversation with annoyance, as it devolved into a shouting match between Lily and Misato. Though, when he thought about it, Misato could've been sent by his father. Maybe his father knew things about Lily, and who she was. Or rather, what she was. Getting tired of the bickering between the two, Frank interrupted them.

"So, does that mean that you and my father know all about what has happened to me?"

Misato stopped and turned towards Frank. She looked at him with raised eyebrows, and said to him in an almost sarcastic voice.

"Yes, I'm sure that being missing from an attacked laboratory in the South Pacific and having a trail around the world, followed by terrorist attacks means that we know a great deal on what has happened to you."

"So…I take that as a yes, right?"

Misato nodded as she grabbed both Lily and Frank by the arm, and dragged them to an unassuming black car with a familiar clean shaven man at the front seat, beside the driver's seat. He simply waved at them weakly. Frank's left eye twitched, as he entered the car. Lily, worried, decided to ask him if he was alright.

"So, what's with the twitch? When you twitch, something bad happens, you know."

The engine roared. The male occupants of the car shudder in fear. They knew that the trial of their lives is near.

"Driving…Misato…"

"What do you mean by –"

The black car zooms past the other vehicles on the road, in a cataclysmic motion that sends two of the male passengers into a state of unconsciousness. Lily, however, was left unfazed by the frightening experience that was Misato's driving. In fact, she actually enjoyed it, if it was actually possible.

"This. Is. Awesome! Why were you so scared anyway, Frank?"

"Uhuhuhuhmsljjvw…"

Frank stuttered incoherently, passing from and into consciousness. Lily, on the other hand, simply sighed at the poor sight of her suffering companion. In her mind, she pitied the sad fact that he didn't enjoy it the way she did.

"Ah, I can't believe it! You think this is scary! C'mon, we've been through so much, and you think this is the worst!"

"Yehigjfffkldklascn"

"Wow, you know, this is the first time someone has said a damn good thing 'bout my driving, you know!" Said Misato happily, as she swerved the car in an angle many people would have considered impossible. The ill-fated male passengers of the car could only scream what appeared to be bits of random profanity in desperation.

"Well…they don't see the greatness in your driving! I mean, your driving is just awesome. I mean, it takes skill to drive like that! So…what's your job, what was it –"

"Misato. Call me Misato. My job…well…for now, I'm just some glorified office worker…but did you know I used to be a tank driver when I was with the JDSF, kiddo!"

"Really…wow…you aren't half bad, Misato. For an old lady."

"You know, Lily, I'll let that pass for now. Because…can an old lady do this –"

The car, spinning at one-hundred-eighty degrees, stopped right into the parking slot. Needless to say, while two of the passengers were mumbling prayers of salvation and thanks, Lily looked as if she would leap high in the air for joy. After stepping out of the car, she turned to Misato and squealed, with eyes of admiration.

"Teach me your ways, master…"

Frank could only vomit onto the cold asphalt, and put one of his palms onto his face in silent resignation. Kaji, the man seated right next to Misato, could only put his arms around Frank's shoulders, to comfort him. He whispered.

"Don't worry I feel the same way, boy…"

Frank only had one thing to say before falling into unconsciousness once more.

"One thing's for certain; I'm not letting her near a car, ever…"

A conversation. An important one.

"Frank's…what!"

"Frank's back home, Asuka. He's with Misato and Kaji."

"But…so he's not dead right? My dear little boy is alright! Didn't he go missing when –"

"It's alright dear…calm down…"

"Well…damnit, you should've told me…I mean you're some higher-up in the UN right? Obviously you must've known! Why didn't you tell me earlier, Shinji, you big idiot!"

"We only knew –"

"Damn you, you idiot! He's your son, for crying out loud! And you can't even tell his mother that he actually survived that…that…-"

"Listen, I'll…tell you everything…when you reach home, okay. I'll be there. Sorry."

The call ended, right there. She forcibly threw her phone on the window pane right next to the front seat beside her. It left a small, but noticeable crack on the window, and another broken, not to mention expensive, phone, whizzing with dying sparks and buzzing.

"Damn smartphones….too freaking fragile…and had to say sorry…spineless wimp…"

The car stuck in traffic, she rested her head onto the steering wheel and she cried; tears of joy out of her eyes. Nagi only watched silently, as she saw her mother mutter repeatedly, the same phrase, over and over again. She smiled. Her mother was happy, very happy, as she said those words, savouring what they meant, again and again.

"He's alive…he's alive…he's alive"

Nagi smiled as well. Big Brother was alive, after all. She knew he'd lived. Someone told her that he would; a kind and helpful person who always smiled. In that dream she had of that boy, that good-looking young boy with ash, grey ash hair.

And red eyes.

Shinji just sighed, as he stood, in front of the apartment building. He saw that Misato's car…that blue contraption of torture…parked in one of the small parking spaces alongside the road. Seeing the black lines on the asphalt road, he shuddered; he didn't know, and he didn't want to know why either. Walking into the building, he said good afternoon to the young woman at the concierge, before going right into the elevator. Pressing the button for his floor, he then leaned his back, and thought of only one thing, as he carried with him a small, but very important manila envelope.

Rei.

Was she still there, he wondered.

Frank, Lily, Misato and Kaji were all seating together around the dinner table. Both pairs were busy, staring at each other, each waiting for the other to give answers to their own questions. Still, the détente persisted. That is, until Frank decided to talk first, asking a question to the elder couple in front of him.

"So, you can't tell me stuff about Lily because..." Frank said, almost suspiciously at Kaji and Misato. He had his doubts on their intentions; no matter how friendly they were, they still, in the end, worked for his father. And his father's intentions would be the most dubious of them all; he was head of the UNSAC after all, a powerful quasi-intelligence agency of a supranational union that was only accountable to a selected few. No doubt he knew what was going on.

"Because your old man told us to not tell you anything until he and your mom came back here, Frank." Kaji replied, with an air of non-chalance.

"Why?"

"It has something to do with some classified stuff-look, I can't tell you anything more than that, sorry buddy."

Frank then looked straight at both Misato and Kaji, as if he knew something they thought he didn't. Misato managed a nervous chuckle, while Kaji shifted in his seat uneasily. Lily simply sat, watching the whole thing unfold. She looked dazed, as if her mind was somewhere else. There was just something…unsettling here.

An existence she feared. _His_ shadow was here, she knew it.

"You know, I've been listening to news, and apparently, my father just ordered _most_ of research from Project E to be destroyed. Kaput. Gone forever. And, I am sure he must have _pissed_ a lot of people off with that announcement. So, were I and Lily just caught in the crossfire…" Frank put her arms around Lily, who then snapped out of her dazed state. "…or was Lily part of something bigger?

"_Project E…Evangelions…Eva…"_

"I can't say for sure, but you do realize that the decision was made by an independent commission assigned by the UNSAC –"

"Oh, stop it already! We all know that's a sham, Misato. And you know it. And I know it."

"To be fair dear, the UNSAC is covered by exactly the same treaty terms as NERV was –"chipped in Kaji.

"Not helping, Kaji!" responded Misato, who glared at him angrily. Kaji shrunk away, visibly embarrassed. Frank chuckled slightly, bemused at the bickering pair.

"_Agent Ryoji…Captain…Major Katsuragi…familiar people…"_

Wait, Lily thought. Does the voice in her head know these people? Maybe she had the answers to who she was. Or what she was actually. Only one thing was certain by now; that she was no ordinary person. After all, normal people don't have force-fields, or have super-strength, or have extreme regenerative abilities.

"_You do not know who you are, my source. I am I, You are my m-"_

Shush, someone's coming from the door.

Frank, Misato and Kaji all turned their attention towards the door. It creaked, and then it opened, revealing a man dressed in a crisp, navy-blue suit, with a red tie. His brown hair was cut neatly, and his blue eyes had a certain sense of depth to them. They seemed, a bit distracted; filled with a cauldron of relief, fear, and anxiety. And happiness. Sheer joy.

"_Ikari...Ikari Shinji...Shinji..."_

His jaw dropped upon seeing her. He couldn't help it, even if he already knew who she truly was. He didn't even exactly know whether she was still there, still inside of that body. Though, she did look so much like her…quite a visceral experience, to be very much conflicted, upon seeing her.

He said those words, when he had regained his senses.

"Greetings…to you, young lady…", he said, giving a curt bow. Lily could not stop herself from giving away a faint smile, which was quite unlike her to do so, as the man looked at her with a grin on his face.

A short pause. Frank sat, staring at the man walking towards him. As always, he bore that signature smirk of his, half-polite, half-condescending. It irritated Frank to no end, seeing that expression on his face. Anyhow, he and his father were never on good terms with each other.

Distant.

"My name is Shinji Ikari, director of the United Nations Special Affairs Commission."

The manila folder was thrown on the table. Frank looked at it intently, his mouth agape. He'd heard of how Third Impact happened as a university student studying for a degree in Meta-Biology. And, even with the most of the information classified, he still knew that term. The Black Egg. The Progenitor.

"Take this in, as it may; you probably won't be seeing this again in your lifetime."

The heading was written in bold. Classified. For Authorized Eyes Only.

THIRD IMPACT EVENT COMPRHENSIVE REPORT/PROGENITOR SPECIMEN ANALYSIS/DESIGNATION: LILTH

Shinji looked at Lily, straight in the eyes. Lily quivered and squirmed uneasily. She turned to Frank, expecting help; but Frank had a blank expression on her face. She worriedly thought to herself; was it shock, or was it fear? He would know the truth soon enough.

"You're Lilith, aren't you?"

The door opened once more, as a little girl and a woman walk in. The latter looked askance at Lily.

Confusion.

Repulsion.

Hatred.

Envy.

"_Sohryu..."_


End file.
